1971 Salem, Illinois, derailment
The 1971 Salem, Illinois derailment occurred on June 10, 1971, when Amtrak’s City of New Orleans passenger train derailed near Salem, Illinois. It is sometimes referred to as the Tonti derailment, after the unincorporated community of Tonti, Illinois, which was the site of the crash. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that the derailment was caused by a false flange on a flat wheel caused by a seized axle bearing. The crash killed 11 people and injured 163. It was Amtrak's first fatal accident since assuming control of most intercity passenger trains in the United States on May 1, 1971.
| 1971 Salem, Illinois, derailment | |
|---|---|
Aerial view of the wreck | |
| Details | |
| Date | June 10, 1971 about 12:30 P.M. |
| Location | Salem, Illinois |
| Coordinates | 38°39′56″N 88°58′39″W |
| Country | United States |
| Line | Illinois Central Railroad |
| Operator | Amtrak |
| Incident type | Derailment |
| Cause | Mechanical problem |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 1 |
| Passengers | 211 |
| Deaths | 11 |
| Injured | 163 |
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